The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1887, DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1588, 31 May 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1887, DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Thk Government have been defeated. They have been defeated by a strange combination, consisting of Major Atkinson, tbe man oi all others who is most responsible for mining the colony, and the high priest of the property tax ; Sir George Grey, the land lax evangelist ; Mr Montgomery, tbe " burstingup ” politician ; Mr Ormond, the man of retrenchment. A more motley crowd never combined together to disorganise politics. Supposing the onus of forming a Government was thrown on their shoulders bow could they form one ? The Kilkenny cats never feasted more ravenous'y on each others’ vitals than would this many-colored party that has disorganised politics and turned a really good Government out of office. Major Atkinson finds fault with the Government because they have increased tbe Customs duties. Major Atkinson increased the Customs duties in 1880, by 5 per cent, and Mr Itolleston, who screams about Freetrade, voted for it. Rut Mr JRolleston was a Minister in receipt of £1250 a year then, and that made all the difference. Major Atkinson before tbe election of 1884 stumped the country from Auckland to the Bluff, and everywhere gave out that Customs duties ought to be increased to protect local industries and consequently Major Atkinson is recognised as a Protectionist, In his recent Hawera speech—delivered a little before Parliament met Major Atkinson said the Customs would have to be increased, and yet in the face of all this ho has the unblushing effrontery to turn the Government which would have increased them out of office on Ibe eve of a general election. Major Atkinson is now screaming about retrenchment. When he was in office did he retrench ? Major Atkinson was in the Ministry in 1873 j and now mark what has happened since. Tbe following are the increases which have taken place in the revenue since:—

Jn 1873 the public debt was £10,918936; in 1877 U w*e £19,252,27-2. Thus in these four years (he revenue was increased bv £1,159,635, and nearly £9,000,000 were borrowed. Major Atkin boo became Colonic Treasurer on the ,6th I July, 1875, and jl «riH be seen that; from that date to the ti*ye he AP rne d i out of office by hir George Grey he increased the revenue by £1.092,093. Mr Ballance then became Colonial Treasurer, and kept so till 1879, Year, Revenue, 1878 ... ~. £4,167,889 1879 £3,134,905 Thus in the two years Mr Ballance held the purse strings he reduced the , revenue by about £1,000,000. Major

AMtinson look the purse strings again with the following result;—

If any one doubts these figures he will find them on the bottom line of page 217, New Zealand Statistics. In addition to this Major Atkinson borrowed nearly £10,000,000, and he left the colour with a deficit of £152,000 according- to his own showing, or £1,800,000 according to Sir Julius Vogel, Now, in the face of these facts, could anything be more impudent than Major Atkinson’s cry of rutrencbment, la his hands the colony has been brought to bankruptcy, and any man who rotes for him or for any of his following deserves to be disfranchised.

y.04pr. Eovenue. 1873 £2,776,388 1874 ... £3,688,612 1875 V;. £2.818,928 1876 £3,586,29ft 1877 ... &0i6,m

Year. Eevormo. 1880 ... £3,285,042 1881 ... £3,757 493 1882 ... £3,9 i 7,160 1883 ... £3,871,267